"JJ" wrote ...

And your response comes because you are a ham and support CW and you just
can't stand the thought that CW may not save the world someday. Go talk to
your local emergency officials about how you can save the world because you
can use CW and see how much importance they put on you views. So you put it
to use in 1999 during Hurricane Floyd. Why? Was it the only means of
communications that could get through? I seriously doubt it. I am not
arguing the fact you used CW, just don't tout it as the end all to
communications during the Hurricane. [40 years as a Ham] It has taught me
that I have never had to use CW as the only means of communication during
any emergency, and that includes disastrous tornados, hurricanes, floods,
and earthquakes. It has taught me that CW is an antiquated mode and I am not
silly enough to think it will be some ham nut like Dick, Larry or you that
will save the world from disaster with your little code key. I am not anti
CW, just anti those who claim that it will be the savior of the world and
anyone who doesn't use code isn't as good a ham as Larry, Dick, and others
(you too I guess). I have kown many hams that never operated CW after
upgrading from Novice, and they would put Larry and Dick to shame as far as
being "real" hams. Look into the future and you see Larry's skeleton
sitting at his rig, hand on the code key still waiting to say the world with
is CW skills. It isn't going to happen.
__________________________________________________ ______________________

If you had bothered to actually read my reply, you would have known that I
said it was used in conjunction with other modes, not exclusively. And yes,
we used it because we were having a very hard time getting through on SSB
(our primary mode), and phone lines were jammed or down. As to your
assertion that "local" EMAs think CW is not important -- As a Federal EMA, I
can tell you that you are dead wrong about that. When I talk to them, they
are thrilled to have the additional communication tool and are impressed
that we (ARS) have operators capable of it. Again, if you would have taken
the time to read my reply, and after 40 years as a Ham, you would have
already known this.

Arnie -

BTW, Are you and Leland related? You both use the anomalous term "code key"